I Thought I Knew My Jewelry Making Process—

Until I Had to Teach It.

Jenessa Dee
February 16, 2025

Hey, it’s Jenessa.

In today’s issue:

Deep Dive: Confessions of a Jeweler: What It’s Really Like to Train an Apprentice…
Let’s Connect: Here’s how I can help you...

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Last month, I started training a new apprentice at the Minneapolis studio where I work.

And I won’t lie—it’s been a challenge!

Not because they’re not trying. They’re eager, motivated, and an excellent student.

But for me?

The biggest hurdle has been breaking down every tiny detail of the professional jewelry-making process simply and clearly.

After years of working on autopilot, I’ve had to stop and ask myself:

✨ Why do I do it this way when there are multiple methods?

✨ What makes my approach the most efficient?

So, after a month of self-analysis, I decided to document the most common jewelry-making challenges—and how to fix them.

One of the biggest?

Building confidence with tools.

Take the graver, for example. It’s a powerful tool but notoriously tricky to master.

That’s why I’m working on a graver sharpening tutorial for YouTube!

I want to simplify the sharpening process so you can:

✅ Feel confident using your graver

✅ Improve your polishing skills

✅ Unlock advanced techniques like hand engraving

It’ll be released soon, and you’ll be the first to know when it drops.

Stepping into the world of long-form content is overwhelming, and I need help!

Thankfully, I found a fantastic resource: The Shine Online Podcast with Natasha Pierre, check it out here.

She breaks down video editing, content organization, and budget-friendly tools to make video creation less overwhelming.

One tool I’ve been loving? The video editing software, Descript (click here).

It’s a game-changer.

Instead of traditional editing, it turns my video into a text script, letting me cut and paste my edits like I’m editing a document.

Plus, its AI automatically removes all my “um’s,” “uh’s,” and awkward pauses.

I’m also testing new content creation gadgets specifically for capturing jewelry-making.

But I’m a harsh critic—so only the best will make the cut.

I’ll share my top picks once I put them through the wringer!

I can’t wait to share more soon.

If you have tutorial ideas, hit reply and let me know.

Stay tuned!